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| Citing Electronic
Resources |
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Internet use in research has developed somewhat faster than many style guides
can be updated and published.
In addition, it is often not easy to find the elements necessary to construct
your citation for electronic resources. Here are a few tips for:
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- Finding the proper URL. Remember that you should cite the URL
for the actual page you are using for your research. Instead of citing
the URL for the exact page being used, a common mistake is to give the
URL for the homepage for an organization or the index page of a website,
like www.umuc.edu. This will not lead
you the web page for VAIL, to this tutorial or the "VAIL Guide to
Citation". Similarly, if you quote an entire paragraph or passage
you found in an article from the New York Times online. Giving this
URL is not sufficient: www.newyorktimes.com.
Give the URL for the actual article you are using. It will be more detailed
than the example above.
- Retrieval Dates. Because access to the information provided
on the Internet and in subscription databases is beyond our control,
it is important that you give the date you read the article or web page
just in case the item is no longer available when your reader tries
to access the item.
- Finding the actual URL in a Frames web site. If "frames"
are being used it can be difficult to ascertain the actual URL for the
specific web content you need. In some web browsers it is possible to
open only the needed frame of information in a new browser window with
a right-click of your mouse. From there you can get the exact web address
for the web content you are using. Try this or contact your campus IT
Help Desk.
- Databases and "gateways to information"-
If your school or library pays to give you access to databases of magazine
and journal articles in full-text, you must cite those databases, and
sometimes the gateway, in addition to the rest of the bibliographic
information for the article you are using. If you are unsure about the
names of these resources, ask your librarian for clarity.
- Database Citations. Print the full database record for the
items you select and the full-text of the article. These often include
the elements necessary for assembling a complete bibliographic citation.
- Finding Web page Authors. If the author of a web page or Internet
resource is not readily apparent, scroll and look to the top or the
bottom of the page for this information. It is okay if no author is
given, but take the time to make sure.
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If you aren't sure how to cite an electronic resource, consult the previous
section of this guide, ask your instructor,
or a librarian for assistance.
Other online guides to assist with citing electronic resources:
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MLA: Modern Language Association. (2002). "MLA Style, How do
I document sources from the world wide web in my
works cited list?"
Retrieved July 27, 2002 from http://www.mla.org/style/style_faq/style_faq4
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APA: American Psychological Association. (2001). "Electronic
reference formats recommended by the American Psychological Association."
Retrieved October 28, 2001 from http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html
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Chicago (Turabian): There is currently no Chicago style guide for
how to cite electronic resources. However, the publishers of the
CMS (Chicago
Manual of Style) recommend using MLA-style documentation for Internet
sources. Also consult the guide titled
"Using Chicago Style to Cite
and Document Sources" provided by Online! http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite7.html
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